Closer
by scottie994
Summary: Several members of the Seireitei venture to the Living World for a day at the beach. New and old sparks will fly in this lust-filled story. HitsuKarin and IchiRuki. 2nd instalment 'Sequel: The Twist' and 3rd instalment 'Animate Customs' have been posted! DISCLAIMER! All rights of Bleach belong to Tite Kubo.
1. Prelude

Closer

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Prelude

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He never thought a day would come where he'd be reluctant to exit a clothing store. But when he left the air-conditioned boutique and ventured once again into the excruciatingly hot outdoors, he longed to retreat. He cursed the mass of hair that hung over his face, which only served to decrease the amount of time it took for his forehead to become covered in sweat.

"Isn't shopping just the most fun, Taicho?!" Rangiku exclaimed as she skipped along beside him, shopping bags dangling about in her grasp. He grunted in response and shoved his hands in the pockets of his jeans. "Now, we just have to get you a pair of shorts and a shirt, then we're off to the beach!"

If it hadn't been the threat of incessant sexual harassment she gave him, he would have stayed back in Soul Society. However, since he did not want her breasts and rear end in his face every waking moment of everyday for the next week, he was forced to endure a whole day at the beach.

It didn't help his fast growing agitation that a massive crowd of men were following closely behind them, prominently ogling his flamboyant lieutenant. This was to be expected, due to her high-rising skirt and barely concealing blouse, which showed off her ample chest as well as her long toned legs.

So with his eyes closed, Toshiro trekked along and suppressed the urge to knock them all out. He was so concentrated on keeping his cool that he didn't notice the approaching person, until he bumped into her.

"Watch where the fuck you're going!" She chided him angrily, her onyx eyes fierce. He stared at her for a mere two seconds before wordlessly continuing on.

"Jeez, Karin. Way to flip out."

Karin turned to Yuzu and scowled, "Well if it wasn't for the fat old man grabbing my ass back there I wouldn't be so fucking angry."

Yuzu regarded her sister's clothing, which consisted of a baggy and tattered tank top and cut off jean shorts, "Maybe if you didn't wear such scant attire, you wouldn't have been harassed." She suggested matter-of-factly. Karin scowled. "Anyway, that doesn't mean you can yell at random bypassers if they accidentally bump into you."

Karin rolled her eyes and began dragging her battered combat boots along the sidewalk, "Whatever. Let's just get this over with, you know I hate shopping."

"Alright.." Yuzu scanned the area, then pointed to one of the various stores, "That place looks cool, lets go there."

Karin nodded and followed her sister into the colourful swimsuit boutique. Yuzu began picking through the racks of various beachwear, while Karin flopped down on the sofa and basked in the nicely conditioned air of the store.

"How about this one?" Karin glanced at her sister, who held a pink polka dotted bikini out for her to see. She nodded once. Yuzu eyed it, "Do you think Jinta will like it?"

"Is it easy to take off?"

Yuzu's brow furrowed, "Um.. yes?"

"Then yes, he will like it." Karin confirmed with a smirk.

Yuzu, always one to miss the underlying meaning of such a remark, just smiled, "Then I will get this one." She ushered her sister from the sofa, "Start looking."

Karin skimmed the nearest rack and pulled out a plain black bikini. "Done, now let's pay and leave."

"Wait, I need to find matching sandals." She rolled her eyes and followed her sister around the shop, "So, are you excited to meet Ichi's friends from Soul Society?"

Karin shrugged, "I guess."

"Aha!" Yuzu exclaimed moments later and picked up a pair of pink sandals, "Okay, I'm all set. Let's go."

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**Author's Note: I'll say now that Karin and Yuzu are 18, and Ichigo is 21. **** Please Review!**


	2. Part One

Part One

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It was 11:30 in the morning when they arrived at the beach, and of course, it was crowded from end to end with people. The Kurosaki's began treading through the sea of people, carrying coolers, towels, lounge chairs and umbrellas. Ichigo lead the trio, scanning around for a familiar face, and after several minutes, his eyes landed on a short dark-haired girl, clad in a knee length t-shirt.

He grinned, "Hey, Rukia!"

She turned to him, her lips pulling up into a smile, "Hey Ichigo," She let her eyes examine his partially clothed body as he approached her, then she met his eyes, "Long time no see."

"I thought I'd never find you," He glanced around briefly, "This place is packed."

"We tried to rent out the whole beach," Unohana began, appearing beside them, "But, considering the weather and crowd, we were only given this secluded area."

"Yeah, not even Unohana could persuade them," Renji remarked, coming up beside Rukia, "it was mindblowing."

Ichigo chuckled and slapped a hand against Renji's in greeting, masking his distaste to how close his redheaded friend was to Rukia. "Anyways, guys," He gestured to the group, consisting of Hisagi, Izuru, Momo, Yachiru, Renji and Unohana, "these are my sister's," He gestured to his left, "Karin and Yuzu."

Said girls nodded and smiled at the soul reaper's before them, having only met Rukia prior. "You have sister's?!" Exclaimed a woman's voice, and they were soon met with a curvaceous strawberry blonde, and this seemed to repel Ichigo as he ushered Rukia away with him,

"Aw, and they're so cute and pretty!" She remarked with a grin, "Hi, I'm Rangiku Matsumoto." She tugged on something behind her, "And this is my Captain, Toshiro Hitsugaya."

"Hey, nice to-" Karin's words hitched as she was met with the icy turquoise eyes from earlier that morning, and her mind immediately began fumbling with words of repent, but before she could say them, he spoke,

"So, you're a Kurosaki." He remarked coolly, his gaze set on Karin. He smirked, "It all makes sense now."

Her brow furrowed, "Eh?"

"At first I thought you were just an overly rude and angry human girl," He recounted, "But given the genetic pool you're derived from, I realize my mistake. You were just born that way."

"Excuse me!?" Her eyes broadened into a glare, "I'm rude? You're the one who bumped into me and didn't even apologize!"

He scoffed, "I think you're mistaken. I seem to remember you bumping into _me_, then yelling without apology."

"Bullshit I did! And what kind of comment is that anyway! You don't just go around judging people by their 'genetic pools'! Who the fuck says that?!"

"It appears my judgement was anything but false."

Before Karin's history of beating anyone that crossed her to a bloody pulp could repeat itself, Yuzu took her sister's arm and began dragging her away, "Come on Karin, let's go... somewhere else."

Meanwhile, Ichigo and Rukia were setting up chairs and umbrellas. "So, is this everybody that's coming?"

"More are on their way. Ukitake thought it best to book a hotel, figuring no one would want to travel back to Soul Society tonight," Rukia explained, "so I imagine they're busy with that.."

Ichigo nodded in understanding, then when she began to lift up her shirt, his eyes widened. The fabric slid up her thighs, gradually revealing her petite figure. He gulped audibly and averted his gaze, refusing to let himself get caught ogling her like a moron, and his eyes fell on his sister yelling at Hitsugaya several feet away.

Numerous male passersby stared at Rukia as she discarded her shirt, exposing her slim and nicely curved body. She had purposely chosen a two piece that was skimpy, but was pleased that the embroidered flower print gave the solid red bikini some class. She silently prayed that her brother wouldn't make a surprise arrival, as he would surely scold her for wearing such scant beachwear, as well as ruin any chance of her fulfilling her motive of the day.

Her chest ached in disappointment, however, when she looked up at Ichigo and noticed his eyes were on anything but her. She sighed inwardly and wrapped her arms around herself, her gaze following his.

She smirked, "It seems Captain Hitsugaya has broken a personal record. It usually takes at least five minutes, but it would seem he's managed to piss Karin off within two minutes of meeting her."

Ichigo chuckled, "Yeah, well, if they hate each other, then that's one less guy I have to worry about around my sister."

He regarded at Rukia, taking advantage of her averted gaze to look her over, and his heart skipped with desire as his eyes travelled up and down her figure. When she shifted, he cleared his throat and strained to look elsewhere. A moment later, they were joined by his sisters.

"That guy's a real piece of work." Karin remarked angrily as Yuzu finally let her go.

Rukia chuckled, "Don't let him get to you, besides, he's like that with everyone. It's nothing personal."

Karin rolled her eyes in disbelief and muttered, "Nothing personal my ass."

"Jinta!" Yuzu greeted excitedly, her white sundress flailing about her legs as she bounded for her red-haired boyfriend, who just came into view. Karin and Ichigo momentarily scowled in the couple's direction, both having always thought Yuzu could do better.

"Anyways.. I'm gonna go get my surfboard." Karin announced and began retreating the way they came.

"Captain Ukitake!" Rukia greeted a moment later, waving to the long white-haired man. He waved back, trekking towards them, his overly attached subordinates following behind him with blankets and umbrellas in hand.

"Hey guys." Ukitake returned.

"How'd everything go with the hotel booking?" Rukia asked.

"We booked the hotel across the street, all you have to do is tell them your name and they'll give you your room key." He explained. Then asked rhetorically, "Isn't the beach just so relaxing."

"Captain!" His subordinates exclaimed in unison when Ukitake staggered, and immediately began setting up the umbrellas and blankets, "Lay down." He obliged, and they looked at Ichigo, "Is there any ice?"

Ichigo looked through the coolers, which had already melting ice, "Er.. I suppose the canteen down the beach would have some." He stood up straight and began walking away. A second later, "Yo Midget!" Rukia's eyes met his, and Ichigo raised his eyebrows, "You comin'?"

"Yeah!" She grinned and sprinted towards him, landing a hit atop his head as she chided, "And don't call me Midget!"

...

Toshiro had inconspicuously followed Karin to the parking lot, and now watched in amusement as she stood on the tip of her toes, trying to unhinge the six foot long board from the roof of the van. She was so concentrated on her task, that when he suddenly appeared beside her, she jumped in complete alarm,

"Kurosaki."

She turned to him, the infamous 'Kurosaki scowl' set on her otherwise beautiful face, "What are you, my stalker?"

"For today I am." He replied coolly and leaned against the van, "You entertain me."

Cocking her hip to the side, she folded her arms and raised her eyebrows, "I 'entertain' you?"

He nodded, "So if you don't mind, I'll be hanging out with you all day to avoid drowning in boredom."

He stood up straight and began unhinging the straps that secured the surfboard to the vehicle. Meanwhile, Karin found herself gawking at the half naked man before her. She had been too blinded with anger earlier to notice how perfectly toned the muscles were on his lean body. Or how his black shorts rode low on his narrow hips. And now, as they stood only mere inches apart, Karin could do nothing else but trace greedily over his heavenly angles with her eyes.

It was only when a momentary shadow cast over head and her board was stood up straight on the pavement beside her, that she snapped out of her trance. "We got off on the wrong foot," He swallowed his pride at his next words, "and I apologize."

"Thanks.." She muttered, grabbing her tote bag from the car, "And I suppose I wouldn't mind your company.. But if you cross me, I won't hesitate to draw blood from that pretty boy face of yours."

He smirked, "You say the sweetest things." Her lips twitched upward, "So, you're going surfing."

"Aren't you observant." She replied sarcastically.

"Mind if I join you?"

"Have you ever surfed before?"

"No.. But it can't hurt to try."

"Actually, it can hurt," She countered matter-of-factly, "hundreds of surfers die each year."

"Then it's a good thing I'm already dead."

A chuckle escaped her, "Alright, well there's a place down the beach you can rent boards from."

"Lead the way."

...

When Ichigo and Rukia arrived at the luncheonette, they found themselves at the end of a very long line. Ichigo grumbled something incoherent while Rukia crossed her arms over her chest and waited patiently. The line moved surprisingly fast, and they soon found themselves face to face with a very familiar auburn haired girl.

"Ichigo, Rukia!" Orihime greeted.

"Inoue, you work here?"

She nodded, "Yeah, me and Uryu wanted summer jobs, and since Chad works here every summer, he managed to get us hired." It was then that they noticed Uryu and Chad working behind the counter, addressing the hungry customers.

Ichigo nodded in understanding, "Cool.. Anyway, we need a couple bags of ice."

"Oh, okay," Orihime looked behind her, "Hey, Chad, could you get two bags of ice?"

"Rukia," Ichigo addressed the girl beside him, fighting to keep his eyes locked with hers, rather than let them travel downward, "do you want anything, while we're here?"

"Uh.." She uncharacteristically blanched, snapping out of the trance he caused her with his dark chocolate eyes, "I'll, um, have a juice..?"

"What kind?" Orihime asked.

"Er.. fruit punch..?"

The other girl nodded with a smile, "Alright, I'll be right back."

"Your spacey all the sudden," Ichigo remarked as he took out his wallet, "Did you hit your head when I wasn't looking?"

"Shut up, you Baka," She replied with a scowl, "I just.. zoned out."

Upon receiving their ice and juice, Ichigo and Rukia ventured out of the restaurant with a quick goodbye to their friends. Rukia stuck the straw in her juice and began slurping it up absentmindedly, while her thoughts went rapid.

Although she had always felt a sense of relief when she noticed Ichigo's consistent refrain from gawking at Orihime's assets, which honestly, are difficult for even Rukia herself to neglect, it still raised questions. She had, at one time, thought Ichigo was gay. But given that she never saw him show even the slightest attraction to a man, she had scrapped the idea. Then again, she couldn't remember a time that Ichigo showed interest in a woman either. Which begged the question, 'What was his type?'.

He basked in the coolness the ice bags provided as they sat atop his shoulders. Thoughts of Rukia stirred in his mind as he walked beside her. He constantly wondered what she did while she was up in Soul Society. He knew, of course, she was busy with her lieutenant duties. But she had leisure time, didn't she? And what it was she did in that time, he did not know, but desperately wanted to.

He had always suspected that her relationship with Renji went beyond friendship, but he couldn't just put all his faith into that assumption. But then, that brought other questions, like if she was attracted to any of the other men up there. There was a substantial amount, afterall. And no doubt there were several who were into her, that was a given. This was Rukia he was talking silently to himself about. As all these inquiries floated through his mind, only one stuck out amongst the rest. 'What was her type?'

The two were so thought conflicted that they took no notice to the younger pair of familiar people coming from the opposite direction, proceeding towards the Surf Shack.

Karin leaned over the counter and addressed the employee, "Hey, can Shorty here get a surfboard?"

The man regarded Toshiro for an instant, then nodded and began the task. Toshiro, on the other hand, was eyeing the girl next to him, who prominently stood three inches shorter than he did, and he voiced this fact, "I'm taller than you."

"Yeah, you and eighty percent of the worlds population." She refuted with a smirk. When the man returned and handed Toshiro his board, Karin slapped a twenty dollar bill on the counter.

"You break it, you pay extra."

"Yeah yeah.." Karin replied with a wave of the hand and ushered Toshiro further down the shore. Eventually, she stuck her board in the sand and dropped her bag on the ground next to it, then his eyes broadened once she discarded her tattered tank top.

One would think he'd be staring at the way her slim figure curved in just the right places, or the way the bikini top perfectly revealed her subtle chest. But no, his eyes were immediately fixated on the tattoo that went from her shoulder and curved down to her hip, inked completely in black. He felt his attraction to her inflate significantly, "You have a tattoo.."

"Mhm.." She slid her shorts down over her thighs.

"Of a dragon.."

"Your observing skills never cease to amaze me, Toshiro." She remarked sarcastically as she bent over and rummaged through her bag. She stood up straight once more, snapping him out of his trance, "Here." She handed him a bottle of sunscreen, "Put this on my back."

"Er.. what?"

"Apply the lotion to my back," She elaborated with a roll of her eyes, "I can't reach and I don't want to get burnt. Especially not my tattoo that you're so entranced over."

He nodded and stuck his surfboard in the sand, then twirled his index finger around in a gesturing motion. She obliged and turned her back to him, crossing her arms over her chest. He cleared his throat inaudibly and squirted some sunscreen onto his hand. As he began to rub it over her skin, he came to an instant conclusion; she really was as soft as she looked.

He had never been a lustful creature, but as of today, since he met this girl, he had begun to develop unfamiliar feelings. Especially towards her body, which in his opinion was flawless, and seemed to have left a deep impression in his loins. He attempted to block the perverse thoughts from his mind as he skimmed his hand over her skin and down the curves of her back. But that proved difficult due to the way she arched into his every touch, causing her angles to protrude in an enticing manner.

Karin had to catch herself from moaning in disappointment when his hand finally retracted and he announced he was done. "Alright, lets head to the water-

"Wait," She paused, her hands on her board, just about to dislodge it from the sand. Toshiro's eyes were fixed on the bottle of lotion, "It says you have to wait fifteen minutes."

"Fuck waiting." She replied. He wordlessly gestured to the bottle, and she sighed and flopped down on the sand defeatedly. She rolled her eyes at him, "Fine, we will wait."

A smug smirk painted his face and he sat down next to her, resting his arms on his knees. Karin reclined back on her hands and crossed one leg over the other, sending a scowl in his direction, "Do you pride yourself on being this annoying?"

He glanced at her, his smirk unwavering, "Its the way I was born, I can't help it." Then, as if it was possible, his smirk broadened, "You should know all about that though."

Her eyes hardened and she momentarily glared at him before averting her gaze to the ocean, muttering, "Jackass.." A moment later,

"So, you like dragons?"

"Yeah." He concurred simply, "My zanpakuto is an ice dragon, kinda looks similar to your tattoo.."

"Really?" She glanced at him quizzically. He nodded, and she grinned faintly, "Cool."

Another spell of silence ensued. Karin instantly found herself staring at her companion out of the corner of her eye. The way his muscles flexed with every breath he took and every movement he made caused her heart to thud gently with desire. She fisted sand in her fingers, as if to restrain herself from doing what she had thought all too indepth about doing to him.

"You're staring." Toshiro remarked, casting her a sideways glance.

Blood rushed to her cheeks, "I am not!" He cocked a white eyebrow, his lips twitching up once more. She sprang to her feet, "Time's up, let's go." She grabbed her board and proceeded to the water, muttering under her breath her plans to drown him to a second death.

He didn't hesitate to follow her, as he knew, for the duration of his stay in the living world, he would follow this girl anywhere.

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**Author's Note: Ever since I saw Rooney Mara portray Lisbeth Salander, I have thought dragon tattoos to be sexy. And since this is Toshiro I'm writing about.. I couldn't help but write it in. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this part and please REVIEW! Part Two is on its way!**


	3. Part Two

Part Two

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Ichigo sat in the sand, leaning back on his hands and staring wistfully at the girl in front of him, completely captivated. The way her pale skin glistened with sweat under the beam of the sun had his dripping profusely. The way her back arched as she went about building her sand sculpture had him biting his lip, while thinking in great detail how her body would move against his.

And as much as she was enticing, she was also extremely cute. With her legs tucked underneath her and her tongue sticking out of her mouth in a concentrated manner. Rukia twiddled her toes together absentmindedly whilst going about the finishing touches of her, as she has personally deemed, amazing piece of art. With bright eyes, she turned her attention to Ichigo, "What do you think?"

He cast his gaze upwards, and immediately blanked at the sight of a disgruntled sand version of Chappy the Rabbit. "Uhh.." He met her eyes again. Normally, he would tease her endlessly for her love of Chappy, but the way her eyes lit up made him refrain from doing so. For today only, he would let her have her moment. And so he replied, "Amazing."

She grinned and clasped her hands together, admiring her work. He chuckled quietly and resumed admiring her, wanting to do nothing but for the rest of his days.

...

After three hours of wading in the water and catching several waves, Toshiro and Karin emerged from the ocean. Karin grabbed the towel from her bag and began drying herself off, while Toshiro shook the excess water from his hair. She slipped on her shorts and tossed the towel at him,

"That was impressive." She remarked, taking out her ponytail and scrunching her hair with her hands, "I mean, I've been surfing for years, and you managed to be better than me your first day."

"What can I say," He began with a shrug, toweling the back of his head and locking his eyes with hers. He shot her a sly smile, "I have skills."

Karin felt a pink tint spread across her cheeks. She smirked, "Is that so.."

Slinging her bag over her shoulder, Karin followed Toshiro as he trekked up to the Surf Shack, going about returning his surfboard. He slid the object over the counter and turned to her, "What'll it be now, Kurosaki?"

"You can start by calling me Karin, not Kurosaki." She replied with a biting tone, then shrugged, scanning the area, "I am hungry.. And as tempting as Yuzu's food is, I'm too lazy to walk down to the other side of the beach for it." Her eyes landed on the restaurant only yards away, "Lets go there."

Toshiro nodded and wordlessly followed her into the building. She leant her board against the counter and hopped up on one of the bar stools, bringing one knee up while letting her other leg dangle off the side. Toshiro followed suit, resting his chin on his curled knuckles and began to casually stare at her.

"Ichigo's sister; Captain Hitsugaya, what can I get for you."

Karin grinned at the tall, burly man, "Hey Chad," She thought for a moment, "I'll just have a plate of nachos and a coke."

Toshiro cast Chad a glance, "Watermelon. And bring me a lot of it."

Chad nodded once and silently disappeared, and Toshiro resumed his fatuous stare while Karin gave the crowded restaurant a once over. Feeling eyes on her, she set her gaze on Toshiro, "What?"

He blinked and cleared his throat, "Nothing."

"I guess being discreet isn't one of your skills." He raised an eyebrow and she chuckled, "So, how am I doing as your day's entertainment?"

"Exceedingly well."

She grinned smugly. They were soon presented with their food, and Toshiro's eyes lit up as they landed on his plate of delicious watermelon, whereas Karin's stomach began to grumble furiously at the sight of her nachos, and she immediately began to shove the food into her mouth.

"Enjoy." Said Chad's deep monotone voice.

Karin gave him a muffled 'Thank You' and a thumbs up. Toshiro had barely taken his third bite before he became baffled, and slightly disgusted, by Karin's display of eating. She paused momentarily to swallow, take a large gulp of coke, then resumed eating. Toshiro averted his gaze while he finished his 'meal'.

The time came when he was down to his last slice, but before he could take it, a pale hand snatched it from his plate. He glared at Karin for her thievery, while she just chuckled and quickly demolished the heavenly fruit. In turn, he took her last nacho,

"Hey, thats my last one!" She whined.

"Payback's a bitch." He replied coolly before popping the chip into his mouth. She glowered at him and crossed her arms over her chest, only serving to fuel his amusement.

"I hope you choke."

He swallowed with ease, "The last chip is always the best, don't you agree?" Her lip turned up into a pout. He gave her a repentful look, his eyes gleaming with mockery, "Lesson learned; don't steal from me, especially not my watermelon."

She rolled her eyes with a low huff, then she looked up at Chad when he addressed them, "Will that be everything?"

She nodded, "Yeah, I just wanna finish my coke.. I'll take the check now though." He handed her a slip of paper. She regarded the price and dug into her front pocket, then handed him a couple bills, "Keep the change."

"Thank you, have a good night."

They both nodded in regard to the big man, then Toshiro glanced at Karin, "Remind me to pay you back."

She smirked, "Don't worry, I will."

She began to take slow and small sips of her coke, while resorting once again to staring at him. Her eyes gradually glazed over as they gawked; she couldn't fathom why his expression was suddenly stuck in a scowl, but the fierce and sexy look in his eyes only served to sustain her growing infatuation.

Toshiro, on the other hand, was glaring icily towards several gawking men around the restaurant, hence his scowl. Although he couldn't blame them for ogling her, given that she neglected to put a shirt on, the way they were prominently removing her remaining clothes with their eyes made his possessive meter shoot through the roof.

Taking a momentary break, he turned his attention back to Karin. As soon as he met her eyes, she turned beet red, and his brow furrowed.

"Er.. I'm gonna, um, go to the bathroom.." She stammered, then bolted from her chair towards the restrooms, leaving him slightly puzzled.

Karin emerged from one of the bathroom stalls minutes later and proceeded to the sinks. She began washing her hands absentmindedly while muttering to herself, "Okay.. okay, get a grip on yourself Karin.. can't keep gawking at him like some infatuated school girl," She turned the taps off and shook her hands dry, "even if he is the hottest guy I've met before... hmm... I wonder how his lips taste... or his skin.. But he leaves tomorrow.. hmm..."

"My advice;" Karin jumped from her muttering trance and turned her attention to the blonde woman at the sink beside her. "Jump him."

The woman regarded the younger girl's quizzical expression with a smirk and slung her purse over her shoulder, "If you don't," She opened the door, "you'll only regret it later."

Karin stared at the now closed door momentarily, then turned to the mirror and began combing through her slightly tangled hair with her fingers. She couldn't help but agree with the woman, and with a determined gleam in her eyes, she exited the bathroom. She instantly had a clear view of the swarm of girls around Toshiro, and she felt her jealousy inflate. She approached him,

"Toshiro." Karin shot the girls a repelling glare, to which they returned with a scowl before slithering away. She smiled, "Ready to go?"

Toshiro, who had been zoned out and unaware of the happenings around him, snapped out of his trance and turned his attention to Karin, "I am if you are."

"I just wanna take a quick detour to the parking lot," She gathered her belongings and walked out of the building, Toshiro in tow, "then we should head back to the others. If my sister isn't getting all chummy with her boyfriend, then she's surely wondering where I am."

"Yeah.. I'm sure Matsumoto is wondering where I went off to.." He surmised, snatching the surfboard from her grasp to carry it himself.

"So chivalry isn't dead after all.." She muttered with a smirk, swaying her arms lazily, "She seems rather frivolous to be a lieutenant."

"She is very adequate, when she wants to be." He explained, "She's the one who got me to pursue the life of a shinigami, so I could learn to control my reiatsu. She may be intolerable at times, but she's like a mother to me." He smirked, "A very _unorthodox_ mother."

"Who knew you could be so sentimental."

He cocked an eyebrow and cast her a sideways glance, "Does it ruin your image of me?"

"Just the opposite." She replied with a grin. Silence ensued between them as they trekked through the gradually thinning crowd of beach-goers. Karin bit her lip incessantly, stealing periodic glances at her companion while she anticipated the right time to make her move. She may or may not have had an ulterior motive to wanting to return her surfboard to the van, which is something she could have done later.

When they arrived at her vehicle, she threw her stuff onto the back seat, save for her shoes and a navy blue zip-up sweater. She began searching through the van for breath mints, because if she was going to do this, she wasn't going to do it with nacho breath.

Meanwhile, having quickly strapped the board to the roof, Toshiro took to leaning against the side of the van and admiring her rear-end while she rummaged around on all fours. He would patiently wait for her to compose herself before making the move he had planned the entire way there.

Karin cursed herself for not cleaning the car out the day before like Yuzu told her to and had almost given up hope on the search when a glint of silver caught her eye. She lunged for it, straining herself to grab the package from under the driver's seat. Popping a couple of the mints in her mouth, she quickly chewed and swallowed them. Emerging from the van seconds later, she slid the door shut and prepared herself.

But when she turned to face him, she was instantly dumbstruck and backed up against the vehicle due to his sudden closeness. When a lustful gleam accompanied his smirk and he slid his hands around her waist, her eyes broadened in realization. Her eyes fluttered as his lips met hers, and she instantly snaked her arms around his neck, hoisting herself up to his level. She wasn't about to let him dominate the moment.

His lips twitched upwards against hers as she deepened the kiss, and his chest thudded with pride. Her brow furrowed quizzically over glazed eyes when he broke away, "Like you said; People are probably wondering where we are."

He retracted his limbs from her body and pocketed his hands, ignoring her glower as he began walking away. The top of his head was soon met with a firm and aggressive hand, "You don't just kiss a girl like that and walk away!"

"I was successful until now." He countered, nursing his newly aching head, "Besides, I thought it was rather romantic."

Her cheeks flushed a deep pink, "That's.. well.. that's not the point!"

"So what is the point?"

"Er.." She stammered, stopping in her tracks. He followed suit, raising a mocking brow at her. To avoid answering directly, she resorted to muttering between kisses, "I... don't.. have..one.." Then sprinted off in the opposite direction, proceeding to the end of the beach where the others most likely still resided. Toshiro followed casually behind her, a broad simper plastered on his face.

.

**Author's Note: Sorry for the lack of IchiRuki in this chapter, but there will be lots more focus on them in the next one, then it'll revert back to HitsuKarin for the fourth and final.. Anyways, thanks for all the reviews so far and I hope you enjoyed this part and please review!**


	4. Part Three

Part Three

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They found the remnants of the group lounging about on a heap of towels and blankets in a semi circle. Karin sat down beside Yuzu, who was cradled in Jinta's arms while eating ice-cream. Toshiro took his place between her and Rangiku, who was having a drunken argument with Hisagi and Renji.

"Taicho!" Rangiku greeted, wrapping her arms tightly around Toshiro as if he was an anchor holding her to the earth, "Where were you! I was getting worried!"

He scowled deeply and pushed her off. Karin replied for him, "We were surfing."

"Surfing? My taicho, _surfing_?" Rangiku's eyes broadened in awe, "But captain, you hate the ocean. I mean, you hate the beach all together, but you, in the ocean, why I cannot fathom-

"Cease your intoxicated babbling, Matsumoto."

Normally, she would have pouted at this, but when she regarded the pretty and scantily dressed girl sitting awfully close to her captain, her grin only widened, "Oh.. I get it Taicho." She winked with an assuming nod and leaned back against Hisagi, "I get it."

"I see you guys made up." Yuzu remarked quietly to her sister.

Karin nodded with a faint smile and winked, "That we did."

Thirty seconds later, Yuzu's eyes broadened with realization and she almost squealed, but Karin cast her a silencing look. Karin brought her index finger to her lips in a 'Shh' gesture and nodded towards Ichigo, who, if he stopped staring at Rukia for five seconds, would question this new 'friendship' and go all 'protective brother' on them.

Yuzu nodded in understanding and resumed eating her ice cream whilst twiddling her toes. Karin discreetly entwined her fingers in Toshiro's, causing his initial irritation towards Rangiku's boisterous greeting to dissipate, and they exchanged a grin.

Meanwhile, Rukia was deep in thought. She had been trying all day to come up with an inconspicuous plan to get Ichigo up to her hotel room. After however long, she did not know, it hit her. Her juice. Retracting her lips from her straw she eyed the bottle in her grasp. It was a little under half empty, but that would surely be enough. She knew this was a ridiculous plan, but she was desperate. Stealing a glance at her orange-haired companion, she casually tipped the bottle over, letting the liquid spill onto his exposed chest.

"Oh no! Ichigo, I'm so sorry!"

"It's alright.." He muttered while scraping the juice off his skin with his fingers.

"Nonsense, you're all sticky now." Rukia bolted to her feet and quickly put her t-shirt on, "Come on, you need to shower."

"That's not necessary-

Rukia dragged him to his feet with one hand, holding his extra clothes in the other, "There's surely a shower in my hotel room, come with me."

Renji watched Ichigo being aggressively hauled away by his tiny friend, and chuckled knowingly. He had known of her plans, as he had been one to encourage her, but could now only shake his head at the way she went about it. He knew he should have given her pointers.

...

Rukia paced around the room, her fingers tapping anxiously against her thighs. Her heart skipped at the sound of the shower turning off and she quickly discarded her shirt, hopping on the bed. Ichigo emerged from the bathroom seconds later, clad in his shorts and towel drying his hair. He took no notice to Rukia as he lazily walked to the bed and flopped down, letting out a content sigh. Showering after a whole day out in the heat had worked wonders, now if Rukia wouldn't mind, he'd just lay here and-

He propped himself up on his elbows with furrowed brows, "Rukia?" He stared at her, as she now sat, straddling his hips with her legs. "What are you doing?"

"Isn't it obvious, Ichigo?" She replied coyly, "I want you."

He stared agape at her while she said those three words. The words he'd wanted for years to hear her say to him. "Me?" He inquired with disbelief, sitting up so his eyes were level with hers.

"Yes, you." She replied with a roll of her eyes, wrapping her arms around his neck, "Now, are you gonna kiss me, or are you gonna continue to sit there like an idiot?"

Ichigo obliged almost instantly, ignoring the urge to scowl at the last addition. The kiss was sloppy at first, but they soon found each other's rhythm. His hands travelled up her thighs and seized her hips, pulling her against him. Rukia's heart thudded with joy as all her worries of rejection were washed away, and she smiled against his lips. His hands continued up her back, fingertips digging lustfully into the skin.

She fisted locks of orange hair and deepened the kiss as stimulating heat waves began to waft through her. A shiver went down her spine as his fingers travelled along, collectively untying the strings of her top. Their lips became much more exuberant as he grasped her newly exposed breasts and thoroughly explored the supple flesh. She pushed him back on the bed and let her hands trail down his neck, along his collarbone, the hard planes of his torso. Her thumb and forefinger fumbled momentarily with the button of his shorts, and once she succeeded in unhinging the obstacle, her lips left his.

Hands grasping the waistband, she rose straight up on her knees and pulled back, leaving him utterly naked. Her brows raised as she regarded his hard length and muttered a word of bewildered praise, then caught his eyes. He wore an unusual smug expression, and in seconds captured her lips. Her back met the soft fabric of the bedding and her fingers snaked into his hair, letting out soft moans of content. His hands roamed her body, feeling every inch of her smooth skin within reach. They lingered at her waist, his fingers clutching the strings of her bottoms,

"Do you think we're going too fast?" He asked huskily.

She smirked and shook her head, "I don't think we're going fast enough." With that, their lips met again, smacking vigorously, and they let themselves get lost.

They would save the romance for another time, because in that moment, all they wanted was to feel each other. To express all the feelings and urges they had kept under lock and key for so many years. And it would be the wonderful beginning to _them_.

...

Yuzu and Jinta had long since departed, and now it was just Karin, Toshiro, Rangiku, Hisagi and Renji. When Matsumoto's mind caught up with this fact, and she regarded the suggestive gaze being held between her captain and Karin, a mischievous grin spread and she exclaimed, "Oh no! It appears we're out of alcohol!"

Staggering to her feet, she dragged the older men up with her, "Come on boys, lets hit the hotel bar." Pushing them towards said place, at a stumble evoking force, she dropped a t-shirt and phone in Toshiro's lap. Bringing him into a suffocating embrace, she ignored his dismayed protests and kissed him lovingly on the top of the head,

"Goodnight Taicho." She rose to full height once more and cast a wink at the young couple, "You two have fun now, be safe."

Toshiro nodded in regard and reclined back on the blanket, folding his arms behind his head. Karin waved at the retreating trio momentarily before laying back, positioning herself against him and resting her head on his shoulder. He embraced her with one arm and met her gaze. She grinned, her hand curling around the back of his neck, "Now.. where were we?"

...

"So that's why you stopped sleeping in my closet?"

Rukia nodded against his chest, "Yeah, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to restrain myself from attacking you in the middle of the night."

Ichigo chuckled, "I wouldn't have minded."

Their heart rates had returned to normal. They now laid, bodily entwined in a disarray of bed linens. She traced circles on his chest and he twirled locks of her hair in his fingers, both wearing pleased smiles.

"You spilled your juice on purpose, didn't you?"

She giggled, "Maybe.."

"I'll never understand the way your mind works."

Craning her neck, she looked at him with slight traces of a scowl, "I had to get you up here somehow."

"You could've just asked."

She rolled her eyes, sliding onto him so they were face to face, "And what if you had rejected me? At least if you did it here, I could have kicked you out and hid for the rest of the night."

He folded his hands behind his head, "Again, I will never understand the way your mind works. Did you really think I would say no?"

"Kinda.. I don't know how your mind works either. I mean, for years I thought you were into Orihime-

"Inoue?" He interrupted, "What gave you that idea?"

She shrugged, "Its_ Orihime_."

He smirked, shaking his head slightly, "She's too much like my mother. She's a nice girl, perfect for Uryu, but I would never like her like that."

Rukia grinned, "Then, I thought you were gay-

"What!"

She chuckled and pecked him on the lips, "Just a mere thought, at one time, years ago. Just calm down... Anyways, I suppose I just wasn't sure how to go about it, and its not like you wear your heart on your sleeve, I couldn't determine how you felt towards.. well anyone."

"Its always been you.." He proclaimed quietly, and a broad smile spread across her face.

"Why didn't you ever make a move then?"

He was silent for a moment, mulling over her question, "I honestly don't know." He replied with a shrug. "I always did think you liked Renji."

"Renji?" She shook her head profusely, "That guy's like my brother... Besides, I'm ninety percent sure he's gay."

"Renji.. gay? What makes you think that?"

"I've seen the signs. He enjoys accessories to a girlish level, he wears a pink flowered kimono from time to time.. I mean, those aren't solid reasons to think he's gay, but it raises the question. Also, he has a very.. _immense_ devotion to my brother."

"Who knows, Byakuya could be gay," He chuckled, "They could be lovers."

"My brother is not gay!" She whacked him on the head, "He was married you know, to a woman!"

"Yeah, like, ages ago." He countered, nursing his head, "Things change."

She glared at him for a minute, then giggled and kissed him, "I guess you could be right, for once." He scowled, evoking another set of giggles, "I'll have to keep a lookout for the signs."

Ichigo just grinned as she began listing off all the characteristics of her brother and Renji that would determine their sexuality. Her laughter, her bright violet eyes, the way she smiled... all the things that made up Rukia Kuchiki assured him of one thing; he had fallen in love with the right girl.

.

**Author's Note: Sorry if the lack of detail was disappointing.. I had considered it, but since I wrote Part Four first and put more detail in with that, I decided against it.. Anyways, please review and the final part will be posted soon, then its on to the sequel.**


	5. Part Four

Part Four

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The night's temperature had dropped considerably, but Karin found herself warmer than ever as her lips moved slowly and sensually against his, the space between them non-existent. Her heart thudded with intense yearning and she tightened her arms around him to a partial deathhold. Sensuous heat waves spread through her body as his hands gripped at her curves and grazed her skin. She would happily ignore her pride for now and let him have control, as he apparently, at least in her opinion, knew what he was doing.

He had no idea what he was doing. His lips moved on their own, his hands acted on instinct, and it would seem his total lack of experience with the opposite sex was being made up for at a remarkable rate. Her persistent lips and humble moans of recognition only served to fuel his growing passion for her, along with the bulge in his pants. He knew he had crossed the line. This was a human girl, Isshin's daughter, Ichigo's sister. And while he was sure the latter would bankai his ass if he found out, Toshiro continued, unfazed.

A shock vibrated through him as her pelvis arched into his groin, and a husky moan escaped his throat. His palm smoothed up her stomach to cup her breast as he led a trail of kisses along her jaw and began nibbling at her neck. She bit her lip and fisted his hair in her fingers, basking in the sensations as her eyes glazed over.

"Let's go to your room." She proposed breathily.

His head shot up with broad eyes, "Really?"

She nodded and sat up, "Come on." She sprang to her feet and grabbed her shoes, sprinting off. He stared after her for a moment while his mind registered the situation, then grabbed his mere belongings and bolted after her.

They stopped momentarily so she could put her shoes on and refuel her hormones with a kiss, then resumed their sprint across the street to the hotel.

Karin tapped her fingers impatiently on the front desk as Toshiro addressed the receptionist, who was noticeably gawking at him, as he had neglected to put his shirt on, and this seemed to evoke slow work ethic. They eventually received the room key and took off running out of the lobby, grateful the room was on the main floor. After a minute, Toshiro regarded the room numbers and halted,

"Were going the wrong way."

Karin cursed and they took off in the opposite direction, noting the room numbers more carefully. When they reached their destination, Toshiro grabbed her hand and unlocked the door with his other, pulling her in after him.

She leaned back against the wall as he closed and locked the door. Her fingers drummed against her thighs eagerly and she bit her bottom lip. Here she was, in a hotel room, with a guy, about to enter unchartered territory.

He regarded her under the light of the hallway. There was a mixture of anxiousness and avidity in her eyes as they stared into his. He could hear the fast beat of her heart as it thudded with anticipation, not unlike his own.

"So," He began, sliding her sweater back over her shoulders and down her arms, letting it fall to the floor, "where were we?"

She grinned, exhaling a steady breath before her lips were captured by his, and he grasped her rear. Her hands slowly travelled up the chiselled angles of his torso and snaked into his hair. He swiftly hoisted her up against the wall, and she let out a delighted giggle, wrapping her legs around him. They felt their lips begin to swell once more as the kiss became more vigorous, and her hand fisted in his snowy locks, while the other dug hungrily into the taut muscles of his back. She broke the kiss long enough to say one word; "Bed."

He spun in lazy circles as they ventured further into the room, evoking a set of gleeful giggles from the girl in his arms. He laid her back on the bed, his lips never leaving hers, and was soon firmly encased between her thighs. His mind was becoming foggy, only focusing on one thing; Karin. Her soft lips, her smooth skin, the way she would react to his every touch.

As her slender frame moved lustfully against his, all his initial feelings of incompetence were washed away, and replaced by a bold confidence. In two swift movements, he pulled on the bounds of her bikini top and quickly discarded the garment. He lead his lips down her jaw, her neck, along her collarbone, and continued downwards, nicking gently at her skin with his teeth, all the while giving her small, tender breasts a voluptuous feel.

Her head sunk back in the pillows as she bit her lip and basked, yet again, in the sensations his lips and hands unleashed. Her soft giggles and moans of pleasure were like music to his ears. She arched her back as he seized her hips and kissed his way back up her torso, lingering at the nape of her neck.

She felt wonderfully overwhelmed, and wanted nothing more than to be consumed by him. "I want you, Toshiro." She whispered into his ear. His heart skipped and his eyes broadened. Her hand grazed over his hardened groin, sending a heated shock through him, and he practically heard her smile, "All of you."

"Are you sure?" Was his husky reply.

She pulled him into an intense, momentary kiss, then replied, "I've never been more sure."

As quickly as possible, they discarded their remaining clothes and entwined their bodies once more, their lips smacking fervently. He slid his hand down her inner thigh and over her warmth, evoking a gasp from her.

"Now." He obliged almost instantly, his testosterone level way too high to let him hesitate.

She winced at the initial pain and pressed her lips firmly against his, fisting his hair in her fingers. As the seconds wore on, and his slow thrusts persisted, she felt the pain dissipate, being replaced by an unworldly pleasure. It wafted through her entire being and her nails dug into his back.

Relocating his lips to the nape of her neck, he began to nip the skin at a bruise inducing pace while waves of sensual heat and vibrations wafted through him. He smiled against her skin as hushed profanities slid off her tongue between gasps and moans. As much as he wanted to explode, he was determined to prolong this amazing feeling for as long as possible.

..

"Holy.. fuck.." Karin exclaimed breathily as she grasped the bed linens tightly in her fists, her eyelids fluttering.

Toshiro collapsed and buried his face in the crook of her neck, letting out a raspy chuckle, "I don't think I've ever heard someone swear so much in so little time."

She giggled, running a hand through his hair, "Me neither."

"That had to have been the best three minutes and thirty five seconds of my life."

"You were counting?"

"In the back of my mind." He admitted with a chuckle and kissed her neck, "Force of habit."

She rolled her eyes, "You're so weird."

Peeling himself off of her, Toshiro rolled onto his back and exhaled an appeased sigh. Karin rolled onto her side, hugging a pillow and rested her head on his chest. Their heartbeats began to slow simultaneously, while dazed smiles spread on both faces.

"So that was your first time too?" She eventually asked.

"Mhm.."

"Is there anything you aren't amazingly good at on the first take?" She asked, leading a trail of kisses across his chest.

"No." He replied simply with a smirk. He could hear her roll her eyes before she pressed her bruised lips against his own and he wrapped his arms around her. "I'm what they call a prodigy; a genius, if you will." He explained smugly, "There are very few things I can't excel at quickly."

She chuckled, nuzzling into his hair and planted a kiss on his neck, "Then its official. Toshiro Hitsugaya is.. wait for it.. Amazingly conceited."

He smirked, "I've been called worse."

"I'm sure." She said teasingly and trailed her index finger along his jaw, "But you can take mine as a compliment. And I don't compliment people often."

"I'm shocked." He remarked sarcastically, and she smiled. He could see her face in a beam of street lights coming through a crack in the curtains, and he found himself staring. Even in the rusty orange glow, she was beautiful. Brushing back the hair from her face, he voiced his thoughts, "Have I told you how beautiful you are."

"You have now." She replied, planting a firm appreciative kiss on his lips as her face flushed a deep pink tint.

"This is the part where you tell me how good looking I am." She scowled and whacked him, albeit playfully, on the head. "Just kidding."

"No you aren't."

"No, I'm not. Come on, praise my godlike appearance."

"There it is, that conceitedness." Her fingers traced down the angles of his chest, "I mean, you already know how gorgeous you are.. how.. sexy, you are.."

"Mhm.. mhm.. Please, go on."

She scoffed, "You're ridiculous."

"Ridiculously hot..?" He offered.

"I won't deny it." He smirked. Karin, unable to ignore the sticky feeling all over her body for any longer, went on to say,

"Well, now that we've established that we are, indeed, hot as fuck, I'm gonna shower." She slid off the bed and proceeded towards the bathroom. After turning on the light, she glanced back at him, "Join me.. if you want."

He stared at the slightly ajar bathroom door. He heard the water turn on. He bit his lip momentarily as he mulled over her proposal. He had already crossed the line. He was so far past the line it wasn't even visible anymore. What's the harm in going a little further..

With that resolve, he slid off the bed and made the small journey into the bathroom, a broad smile on his face.

...

Rukia and Ichigo had ordered a tub of ice cream. They now sat on the bed in a heap of blankets and pillows, both with a spoon in their grasp. They had turned on the television to the cartoon network, and had consumed over half of the ice cream.

"Now that I think about it, Toshiro and Karin were acting kinda.. close, earlier."

Rukia ceased her laughter, directed at the television, and turned to him, "I don't think you have to worry about that... I mean, its _Hitsugaya_."

Ichigo thought about this, then nodded with a shrug, "You're right. Besides.. they would never like each other like _that_."

And with that, they would continue eating and laughing at the cartoons, oblivious to the happenings in the room just floors below.

...

"I don't think my chest can get any more clean."

Karin's soapy hands ceased their movement and she met his gaze, "But.. its fun." She countered, "Your body is so..." She bit her lip as she thought of her next word, then grinned, "Perfect."

Toshiro smirked, "You really know how to inflate a guy's ego."

She laughed and gave him a quick peck on the lips, whilst collecting a handful of soap from his chest. In a split second, she smeared the soap along his jaw and giggled, "There; thats what you'd look like with a beard."

He could only sigh inwardly and shake his head, "Childish."

Taking the shower head from its holster, she directed the beam of water at his face, effectively rinsing the soap beard, as well as evoking a glare. Karin just grinned, ignoring his piercing stare and continued the rinse down his chest. He couldn't hold his glare for long though, as he reminded himself of the fact he's naked in a shower with a beautiful, also naked, girl, whom he just had sex with. His smile returned instantly.

"Well, I think we've wasted enough water." She conceded and returned the shower head to its place.

"We have been in here for twenty minutes."

She chuckled and shut the water off, while Toshiro stepped out and grabbed two towels. Wrapping one around his waist, he held the other out for Karin as she exited the shower. She grinned and wrapped it around herself, "Thanks."

He smirked, brushing locks of damp dark hair from her face and planted a soft kiss on her lips. Her face lit up and she followed him out of the steam filled room, but lingered at the doorway, flicking the main rooms' light on. She watched as he gracefully sat down on the edge of the bed and leaned back on his hands, basking in the cool air of the room. She smiled and proceeded towards him, "You know." She mounted his lap, "There's this theory I want to test out."

He straightened his back and wrapped his arms around her, "Oh? And what's that."

"They say its better the second time." She explained with a sly smile, and his brows raised over broad teal eyes. She chuckled, leaning in, "Whaddaya say, Toshiro? Want to try our _hardest_ to prove them right?"

His heart skipped audibly, and he only grinned in response before meeting her lips once more. Toshiro was sure of many things, and above all of them, he was positive about one; bumping into Karin Kurosaki was the best thing that ever happened to him.

...The Next Morning...

The room was quiet, save for the nearly inaudible snoring from Karin. Toshiro laid in a gleeful daze, one arm wrapped around her shoulders, the other folded behind his head. He didn't know how long he had been lying there, but he could do it for hours. The only thing that could break this moment, was of course, a text message. Scowling at the sound of his phone, he slowly slid to the edge of the bed and rummaged in the pocket of his shorts.

With an inward sigh, Toshiro read the message:

**Matsumoto:**

**Taicho! Come on, we have to get back to Soul Society! Don't dawdle!**

He snapped the phone shut and got to his feet, dressing quickly. Once he was ready to leave, he regarded the girl, still sound asleep in the bed. With a sad smile, he leaned down and planted a soft kiss on her forehead, letting it linger for only mere seconds. "Goodbye, Karin."

So when Karin awoke two hours later, and found no remnant that he had been there other than the cold, disgruntled left half of the bed and the intimate aching in her nether regions, she could only burrow further into the pillows and immediately conclude; She had lost her virtue and a piece of her heart to an, albeit awesome, one night stand.

She sighed sadly, "Goodbye to you too, Toshiro."

.End.

**Author's Note: I have begun writing the sequel, so if you're interested in reading what happens 3 years later at Ichigo and Rukia's wedding, keep a look out for 'Sequel: The Twist' .. I should be posting it within the next week or so. Thanks for reading and Please Review!**


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